Apparatus for producing illusory dramatic effects



(No Model.)

J. W. KNELL.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ILLUSORY DRAMATIC EFFECTS.

No. 277,137. Patented May 8,1883.

a I NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES W. KNELL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING ILLUSORY DRAMATIC EFFECTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,137, dated May 8,1883. v

- Application filed February 26, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES W. KNELL, of Boston, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements Pertaining to an Apparatus for Producing Illusory DramaticEffects, of which the following is a description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, where- Figure 1 is a front view of a stageset for a scene embodyingmyimproved apparatus. Fig.

2 is a plan view of the stage. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism ofrollers and belts used in transmitting motion to various parts of thedevice or apparatus. The latter is a diagram view, showing the relativeparts.

The object of, my improvements (which relate to the matters described inthe patent granted to me April 4,1882, and numbered 256,007) is toproduce on the theatrical stage the appearance of a person, animal, orvehicle, any or all of them traveling along a road, course, or path ofconsiderable length. My patented device above referred to accomplishesthis, but omits certain details which aid in the illusion, and thesedetails form the main part of my improvements, as hereinafter fully setforth.

Inthe accompanying drawings, the letter a denotes a panoramic scenedepicted on an endless belt of canvas or other suitable material, or ona long roll of the same wound about vertical rotary cylinders placedwell back on a stage, the, scene being adapted to move, through theagency of suitable machinery, across the stage from side to side.

The wall or the screen I) (see Fig. 2) masks the endless path a, asdescribed in my Patent No. 256,007, and the scene a extends well intothe wings; but to guard or screen the ends and rolls from view from anypart pf the theater trees or other suitable natural objects are arrangedin the wings to rotate as the main scene moves. They may be arrangedsingly, as at c, or upon an endless chain or belt, as at d, as indicatedin Fig. 2 of the drawings. To further aid in the effect, one or morepipes from a blower are led to suitable concealed positions back ofscreen I), and currents of air from the open ends turned upon the figureor person supposed to be progressing across the stage, and the hair orparts of the dress, as ribbons, are caused to flutter and flap, as inactual rapid motion in the open air. The board floor of the stage tendsto destroy the illusion, if left uncovered, and to remedy this I use agrass mat in the form of an endless belt, 6, arranged to cover thestage, and it passes over horizontal rollers f g at the wings, themotion of the exposed part of the mat bein g in the same direction asthe main scene a. The mat can be secured at its ends by books or othersuitable devices that will allow it to be quickly removed from the stageat the end of an act.

The main moving parts, as vertical or horizon tal cylinders or rollersand the rotary trees,

are connected by any ordinary and suitable arrangement of shafting andcog-wheels or belts within the skill of the average stage-machinist.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination of the panoramic scene,endless path, screen, and moving wing-screens, all substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the panoramic scene, endless path, screen, movingwing-screens, and moving grass mat or equivalent stagefloor covering,all substantiallyas described.

3. The combination of the moving wing screens and moving stage-floorcovering, all substantially as described.

4. In a stage set for dramatic and scenic effects, the combination of aback piece, an endless path, moving screen, moving wingpieces, andmoving stage-floor covering,whereby the effect of progressive motion ofthe main background scene and the actors on the endless path isproduoed, all substantially as described.

JAMES WM. KNELL.

Witnesses:

CHAS. L. BURDETT, WM. H. MARSH.

